Such terminal systems having associated central equipment common thereto are known to the art. Examples of such known systems include data processing systems for time-recording, wage-data recording, and passage-control purposes. By passage-control is meant here, and in the following, knowledge of the whereabouts of a person in relation to given control areas, for example on the premises of a company or establishment.
In the case of time-recording systems, for example, those persons using the systems, or associated therewith, are issued identification means by which they announce their entrance into and departure from the system. Such identification means may have the form of an identification card provided with information specific to the person concerned. When this card is inserted into an appropriate card reader, located in one of the first terminals of the systems, information concerning the passage of said person from one area to another, e.g. such information as time, reason, etc., and information relating to the card holder, is transmitted to the aforesaid central equipment in the system. This enables information relating to persons using the system to be collected, e.g. by means of data processors, and utilized in different contexts and routines within the company or establishment served by the system.
A further example of such terminal systems is the so-called interception system, into which persons within a company or establishment can introduce information relating to their presence on the premises, where they are to be found, their geographic whereabouts, their movements within the company premises, etc.. A control person, such as a telephone operator has access to this information, and on the basis thereof is able to answer queries as to the whereabouts of a particular person, the reason for his/her absence etc., when the person sought is not available in his/her normal geographical location in the company premises. It is also known to connect and integrate such interception systems to and with telephone exchanges, preferably automatic, data-carrying private branch exchanges. When an interception system is integrated with a private branch exchange or subscriber installation with extension stations, the person operating the exchange is able to continually obtain information relating to the whereabouts on the premises of a person possessing a given extension number. In this respect, the operator has access to a so-called intermediary apparatus associated with the private branch exchange, and also to an interception terminal, and in the event of an incoming call to an extension which, for some reason or other is coupled to the interception terminal, the operator receives this call and, at the same time, discloses on the interception terminal information as to why the extension number called does not answer, etc..
A further example of such terminal systems are banknote dispensers, in which upon presentation of the requisite identification and appropriate activation of a keybank on a first terminal, an ordered sum of money can be taken-out from the dispenser, together with a data-slip recording the withdrawal, or like information.